Solar-Powered Shed for a Colorado Artist

Gail Siegel is a full-time jeweler specializing in precious metals. She uses fire in her work and needed some extra space to do. After weighing the various options — renting a space, buying a larger home, building a backyard shed — she decided to install a Studio Shed with solar power from Denver-based SolSource.

The shed was prefabricated in a Boulder facility (also solar powered). It is 14′ x 10′ x 9′, includes electrical and plumbing, and has FSC-certified TruWood Collins siding, corrugated metal, a foam-insulated cement floor, and energy-efficient windows.

SolSource installed a 1.9 kW on top of the 11′ x 16′ pitched roof. The system includes eight 235-watt panels that generate energy from the sun for the benefit of the shed and the home on the same property. Not counting solar panels or other options, Studio Shed offers a shed of this size for about $7,200.